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#1
09/26/2006, 09:47 PM
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The Start Of The "big One" "reefzilla"
well I just got back for my trip to Houston for MACANA. on my way back I took a detour through chicago to visit my friend bill wann. he has been telling me about his new house he is building and the reefzilla tank he is building. after looking at his current 1500g tank we went to the build site to see the start of the new house/reefzilla. the pics just don't do the size of this thing any justice. the tank will measure 22ft long by 15 ft wide and 8 ft tall. it will have 2 panes of acrylic that are 10 ft long and 6 ft high. there will be 2 ft below the panes to the bottom of the tank. this system will have a modified Carson surge device that is bubble free. the tank will be the 2000g cone bottom poly tank in the pic below. this will have a 6" or 8" main feed manifold that goes into multiple 3" pipes that will go through the walls of the tank and surge on a random controller that bill will create himself. there is 6 or 8 of these pipes that have air operated butterfly valves. this will provide the bulk of the wave simulation and flow from the sump. the sump will be pumped into the 2000g tank by 1 or 2 very large pumps. the design is a very well thought out design that is time tested and proven to be 100% bubble free for every dump of the valves. he is currently running this style of surge device on his 1500g tank and it is no less than awesome to see in operation. the fish love to play in the blast that is coming from the surge tank. the skimmers will be huge. he has the current one running on his system that is way over sized for his system. he is currently building 3 more to stand next to this one. there will be 3 or 4 calcium reactors and a few other reactors to keep up with the mag and alk. he plans to cool the tank with the water from his 6600g swimming pool. this will be run through a custom made titanium heat exchanger that bill built himself. the other exchanger is an extra one incase the other one is too small. it has over 20 4 ft long 1/2" diam titanium tube in it and is made from acrylic tube and PVC sheet material. its a great design that will work awesome.
it is really unfortunate that bill was removed from reef central. this tank will be one of the biggest reef tanks known of in the united states. the total volume of the tank is estimated at 17,000 gallons in the main display and a total of 22,000-24,000 gallons! I can wait to strap on the snorkel and mask and go swimming with Fred the tang. im hoping to learn how to dive in this tank once its done and filled with water. I plan to bring down a load of frags and mount them myself. what better way to go for a swim that in a reef tank to mount frags. ha ha ha ha ha . I cant tell you much more than this for now. im still in shock from the trip. 3000+ miles of driving and all the info I learned from macana. and then to see the dreams of bills coming to life was the icing on the cake for a great trip. so enough is enough here is the pics of the concrete work that is being done for his new house. the tank will be made of concrete and the sump will be part of the concrete stand that supports the tank. there setting the forms for the sumps and then the tank will be set up next week some time. this is all reinforced 8" or 10" cocreate walls and floor. you will see bill talking to the contractor about the sump bottoms for drains. this is the basement of the house and the tank will be in the living room. the house is approx. 9500 sq ft finished space + the basement and 9 stall garage. this house is going to be gorgeous with the size tank that is being built for it. later on he is thinking about having some kind of a koi pond out front with a fountain. the surge tank  the titanium heat exchanger  the current large skimmer with 3 more just like it!  the basement walls. so far there is 75 loads of concrete so far in this basement. 
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a wise man once told me.... " there is no right way to build a reef tank but there is alot of wrong ways to build a reef tank". |
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#2
09/26/2006, 09:52 PM
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this is the tank area where there setting up forms for the sump walls. the forms are not completly covering the footings yet. there is another 4 ft of forms to set up for the depth of the tank.
   this will be the front wall fo the sump. the tank will sit ontop of the sump/stand. 
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a wise man once told me.... " there is no right way to build a reef tank but there is alot of wrong ways to build a reef tank". |
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#3
09/26/2006, 09:54 PM
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this will give you an idea of how big the tank will be. the tank will be as wide as that wall and 8 ft tall.
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a wise man once told me.... " there is no right way to build a reef tank but there is alot of wrong ways to build a reef tank". |
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#4
09/26/2006, 09:55 PM
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Thanks Spazz!
I love Bills projects, and I agree it was ChickenSH to get rid of him like that. Thanks for being the middle man. Re the surges, Are you sure they are Carlsons, using a siphon? I know he used to run simply a head tank and butterfly dump valves. I have done the same, but for a large public aquarium tide touch pool. The effect is incredible with 4" valves! Cant wait for more!
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"Not cheap, but silent and absofrickenlutely no bubbles" "Be sure and wear a speedo lest tangs nest in your britches" |
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#6
09/26/2006, 10:20 PM
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wow, just wow, just.....................wow
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#7
09/26/2006, 10:43 PM
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Quote:
I feel very lucky to be the one posting the first pics of this system. this is the second time I have had the privilege of posting a tank here on r/c over 1500g. I don't think there will be another privately owned (publicly known) tank like it in the USA.
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a wise man once told me.... " there is no right way to build a reef tank but there is alot of wrong ways to build a reef tank". |
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#9
09/26/2006, 11:01 PM
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Thanks Spazz,
You are 100% correct, they put out ZERO bubbles (as long as you close them before the head tank empties  ) When you get up past 2" plumbing, pneumatic valves are the only way to fly, since they open much faster than the electrics.I'm also wondering what Bill used to seal his Ti tubes to the tube sheets in the exchanger. I have used Cord-Grip fittings before. The exchanger must not be under much pressure, using acrylic for the barrel- sure looks pimp, though! Do you know how he will glaze the panel? Dow 795 is the best stuff out there, IME. I have done a few concrete tanks and we actually used SS anchor bolts to hold the acrylic in place, then epoxied over the bolts afterward. I know that Waterdog tanks (fiberglass and acrylic) simply use 795 to hold the acrylic in. You may wish you hadnt started this thread after having to answer so many questions! 
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"Not cheap, but silent and absofrickenlutely no bubbles" "Be sure and wear a speedo lest tangs nest in your britches" |
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#10
09/26/2006, 11:58 PM
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Quote:
the actylic tube is 1/4 wall tube. and there will be little pressure on it. just slow flow through it. it will be mounted up high so there wont be any head pressure on it. Quote:
Quote:
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a wise man once told me.... " there is no right way to build a reef tank but there is alot of wrong ways to build a reef tank". |
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#12
09/27/2006, 09:11 AM
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Simply amazing! So spazz what about the lighting???
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#13
09/27/2006, 12:36 PM
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Quote:
i think he was going to try to find a reef safe shark to put in there along with a truck load of other fish and tons of coral fragments. i think it all depends on what he sees that is reef safe at the time of stocking the tank. it will take about a yearto stock it. lol he has alot of fish that are in his 1500g tank now and of course fred n the 600g tank. he would love to get some sting rays in there too. that is why the foot print is so big. he can house alot of fish that you cant normaly keep in a small tank. im not sure if bill knows how to dive or not. but this will give him ample opertunity to learn and get certified if he is not already. lol nothing like strapping on the dive suit for a quick dive into your own private ocean. im just thankful im bill friend. im sure i can wiggle an invitation to dive the tank 4-5 times a year. ha ha ha ha ha
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a wise man once told me.... " there is no right way to build a reef tank but there is alot of wrong ways to build a reef tank". |
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#14
09/27/2006, 12:47 PM
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can we start a petition to get him back lol....you dont get to hear about tank builds like this everyday
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#15
09/27/2006, 12:54 PM
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Quote:
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a wise man once told me.... " there is no right way to build a reef tank but there is alot of wrong ways to build a reef tank". |
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#16
09/27/2006, 12:54 PM
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Quote:
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#18
09/27/2006, 01:04 PM
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Quote:
so on that note dont take any thing i say here as fact. its all second hand information. my brain went into over load seeing this huge tank in its infiantcy. you could park a full sized car in his tank! humm that would be an awesome picture! bills 360 spider sitting inside the tank! ha ha ha i wonder if he would let me rent a crane to do that. it would be an awesome picture! i guess i will have to ask him.
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a wise man once told me.... " there is no right way to build a reef tank but there is alot of wrong ways to build a reef tank". |
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#19
09/27/2006, 01:11 PM
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Quote:
the entire basement will be one big fish room in a sence. all his work shop ofr building reactors and skimmers and such will be down there in a seprate part of the basement. but the funny thing is the equiptment to run it. the calcuim reactors will be as big as large skimmers. i think he is planning on 2 reactors 18" diam 5 ft tall. that will hold about 1000 lbs of media! i dont know if it will be enough though. if i rember right he already has an order set for next year for 1000 coral frags to be shipped in. i will try to sketch up a drawing of what the setup will look like when its finnished.
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a wise man once told me.... " there is no right way to build a reef tank but there is alot of wrong ways to build a reef tank". |
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#20
09/27/2006, 01:15 PM
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I feel faint.....
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#21
09/27/2006, 01:37 PM
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wow this is crazy as hell and ask him if we can get some more pix bro.
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GROUP: HI JESS! CIRO: Hi im ciro, and i to am a addict. GROUP: Hi Ciro! Councelor: Any one else want to admit. :) |
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#22
09/27/2006, 01:40 PM
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Wow- what a project. Can't wait to see more. Do you go out by him often? What is the estimated completion date? Thanks for sharing and I only wish Bill could share it himself!
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Scott |
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#24
09/27/2006, 01:56 PM
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Wow what a footprint for a reef
will be watching this with interest.
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#25
09/27/2006, 02:23 PM
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I'm completely nauseous with anticipation…so…many…questions...er…uh……BLAAARRGHHHH!!! Are you happy now?!
Lights in Connecticut will dim when REEFZILLA comes online. He should build a small-scale remote control seaplane and then perform sea landings in his reef system Uberinsaneamazing home project!
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SPS-Anon |
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